The new director of the Indiana Department of Child Services says she hopes to figure out how to reduce burnout among caseworkers.

Mary Beth Bonaventura told The Times of Munster that her goals in her new job also include improving an abuse and neglect hotline that has come under scrutiny by lawmakers and working with a state commission on children if it wins General Assembly approval.

Bonaventura says she considers her predecessor at DCS, James Payne, to be a mentor and that she will be fine-tuning his accomplishments at the agency. She says the agency is better today than it was eight years ago when it was created.

Bonaventura also says she'd like to visit all 92 Indiana counties to speak directly with judges, regional DCS directors and caseworkers.